Spring washer or plate.



PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

S.G.BALL.` SPRING WASHER 0R PLATE.

Y APPLICATION FILED 00T. 26, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

W/ TNESSES:

' ATTOHNE Y UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

SAMUEL C. BALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPRING WASHER OR PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 772,079, dated October11, 1904.

Application led October 26, 1903.

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, SAMUEL C. BALL, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Washers orPlates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring washers or plates tobe used inconnection with the nuts and bolts employed for lsplices, rail, andother joints; and it consists in certain peculiarities of theconstruction thereof, as will be herein after more fully set forth andspecifically claimed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cheap andeiiicient spring washer or plate which will allow for the spreading ofthe joints under heavy strain as well as for contraction and expansiondue to heat and cold and will hold the joints or pieces tight whenrelieved of such strain and will also prevent the nuts and boltsbecoming loosened by the constant and severe shocks and jars to whichthey are subjected.

Another Objectis to provide a washer or plate of the above-namedcharacter which can be made at a small cost, as it may be cut, punched,and stamped at one operation and requires no special finishing.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an endview, partly in section, of a railway rail joint, showing a springwasher or plate embodying my invention in position on one of the boltsthereof. Fig. 2 is a side View in elevation thereof. t Fig. 3 is adetached perspective view of the plate, and Fig. 4 is a perspective viewpartly in section.

Like numerals lof reference refer to corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings. Y

The reference-numeral 10 represents a p0rtion of a cross-tie on whichthe rails 11 and 12 are mounted. Located in the usual manner on eachside of the rails at their juncture is a fish-plate 1,3 of the ordinaryconstruction,'through suitable openings in which, as

Serial No. 178,506. (No model.)

well as in the rails, are passed bolts 14C, used for securing the partstogether.

Located on that portion of the bolts on which the nuts 15 are securedare spring' washers or plates 16, which embody my invention. Each ofthese plates is made of any suitable size, form, and material, butpreferably of spring-tempered steel and rectangular in form, as shown inthe drawings, and is bent in the same direction on two lines eX- tendingat right angles to each other through the central portion of the plateand has an opening 17 in its middle to receive the bolt. As beforestated, the plate may be of any suitable form; but in the presentinstance I have shown it rectangular-that is, as being longer in onedirection than in the other-instead of square for the convenience ofdescription.

The plate, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, is bent in one direction onthe longitudinal axis thereof and in the same direction on thetransverse axis thereof in such a manner that its corners 18 only willrest on the fish-plate or one of the pieces which are to be securedtogether, thus forming a spring washer or plate having resiliency in alldirections. As shown in the different views of the drawings, the points19, formed by the corners, are outwardly turned, thus providing roundedportions or bearings for the plate or washer, which shape will permitthe corners to move on the fish-plate or other piece when thewasher orspring-plate is compressed. The opening 17 in each of the plates is ofsuiicient size to allow of the flattening of the plate or washer withoutbinding on the bolts.

In using the washer or plate it is placed over the bolt against thefish-plate or other part to be connected, and a nut 15 is then screwedon, as shown in Fig. 1, the same coming in contact with the curved faceor seat of the washer and considerable force being required to screw itup to place, as in so doing the washer is compressed and flattened. Whenscrewed to place, it is firmly held bythe outward and yielding pressureof the washer against its inner surface, which will prevent the nutturning or becoming loose on the bolt. It is apparent that the centralportion of the washer is supported at a distance from the IOO fish-plateor other part and forms a strong spring to allow of the spreading of thejoint or parts connected and will hold the joint tight when relieved ofthe strain and will also hold the nut by the pressure oi' the curved orrising faces on the outer surface of the washer against the nut.

While I have shown the spring washer or plate as being applied on thebolt between the nut and one of the fish-plates and in ordinary use willso employ it, yet I may locate it on the bolt between the head thereofand the lish-plate adjoining the same or may use the plates between thehead of the bolt and the sh-plate adjacent thereto, and between the nutand the fish-plate adjacent thereto. It is also evident that, if it isdesired, astronger spring may be formed by placing two or more plates oneach other and locating them as desired on the bolt, thus augmentingtheir resiliency.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an improved article of manufacture, a spring washer or platecomprising a rectangular piece curved from one of its ends to the other,the said plate beingprovided atits middle with an opening and formedwith a curve crosswise of the first-named curve, the two curves ot' theplate extending from the corners thereof, the said curves beingoutwardly from the piece on which the plate is adapted to rest, and thecorners of the plate being outturned to form rounded bearings to restagainst the fish-plate or other part, substantially as described.

sAMUEL o. BALL.

Vt/'itnessesz CHAs. C. TILLMAN, A. GUsTAFsoN.

